Three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus, control method of three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus, and control program of three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus

ABSTRACT

A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus capable of measuring the quality of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object in real time during shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object includes a material ejector that ejects the material of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object onto a shaping table on which the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object is shaped, a light beam irradiator that irradiates the ejected material with a light beam, a data acquirer that acquires monitoring data used to monitor a shaping state of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object during shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object, and a shaping quality estimator that estimates shaping quality of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object based on the monitoring data.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional laminating andshaping apparatus, a control method of the three-dimensional laminatingand shaping apparatus, and a control program of the three-dimensionallaminating and shaping apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

In the above technical field, patent literature 1 discloses a techniqueof measuring the shape of a layer and the shape of a shaped laminatedand shaped object by a camera.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-85547

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Technical Problem

In the technique described in the above literature, the shape of ashaped object can be measured. However, the quality of athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object cannot be estimated inreal time during shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject. It is therefore impossible to shape a high-precisionthree-dimensional laminated and shaped object.

The present invention enables to provide a technique of solving theabove-described problem.

Solution to Problem

One aspect of the present invention provides a three-dimensionallaminating and shaping apparatus comprising:

-   -   a material ejector that ejects a material of a three-dimensional        laminated and shaped object onto a shaping table on which the        three-dimensional laminated and shaped object is shaped;    -   a light beam irradiator that irradiates the ejected material        with a light beam;    -   a data acquirer that acquires monitoring data used to monitor a        shaping state of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped        object during shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and        shaped object; and    -   a shaping quality estimator that estimates shaping quality of        the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object based on the        monitoring data.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a control method of athree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus, comprising:

-   -   ejecting a material of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped        object onto a shaping table on which the three-dimensional        laminated and shaped object is shaped;    -   irradiating the ejected material with a light beam;    -   acquiring monitoring data used to monitor a shaping state of the        three-dimensional laminated and shaped object during shaping of        the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object; and    -   estimating shaping quality of the three-dimensional laminated        and shaped object based on an image captured in the capturing.

Still other aspect of the present invention provides a control programof a three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus for causing acomputer to execute a method, comprising:

-   -   ejecting a material of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped        object onto a shaping table on which the three-dimensional        laminated and shaped object is shaped;    -   irradiating the ejected material with a light beam;    -   acquiring monitoring data used to monitor a shaping state of the        three-dimensional laminated and shaped object during shaping of        the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object; and    -   estimating shaping quality of the three-dimensional laminated        and shaped object based on an image captured in the capturing.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to shape ahigh-precision three-dimensional laminated and shaped object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing the outline of the arrangement of athree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the outline of the arrangement of athree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of the relationship between shapingquality and shaping parameters and a change in monitoring data acquiredby the three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according tothe second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described indetail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that therelative arrangement of the components, the numerical expressions andnumerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scopeof the present invention unless it is specifically stated otherwise.

First Embodiment

A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 100 according tothe first embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIG. 1. The three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus 100 is an apparatus for shaping a three-dimensional laminatedand shaped object by ejecting a material 130 onto a shaping table 120,and irradiating the ejected material 130 with a light beam 140.

As shown in FIG. 1, the three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus 100 includes a material ejector 101, a light beam irradiator102, a data acquirer 103, and a shaping quality estimator 104. Thematerial ejector 101 ejects the material 130 of the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object onto the shaping table 120 on which thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object is shaped. The light beamirradiator 102 irradiates the ejected material 130 with the light beam140. The data acquirer 103 acquires monitoring data used to monitor theshaping state of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped objectduring shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object. Theshaping quality estimator 104 estimates the shaping quality of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object based on the monitoringdata.

According to this embodiment, the quality of a three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object can be estimated in real time during shapingof the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object. It is thereforepossible to shape a high-precision three-dimensional laminated andshaped object.

Second Embodiment

A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 200 according tothe second embodiment of the present invention will be described nextwith reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a view showing the outline ofthe arrangement of the three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus 200 according to this embodiment.

The three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 200 includes anozzle 201, a light beam irradiator 202, a camera 203, a sensor 204, ashaping quality estimator 205, a shaping parameter estimator 206, and ashaping parameter controller 207.

The nozzle 201 ejects a metal powder or a resin powder that is amaterial 230 of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object onto ashaping table 220. A light beam irradiator 202 radiates a light beam 240such as a laser beam and irradiates the material 230 with the light beam240 from the opening at the tip of the nozzle 201. The material 230irradiated with the light beam 240 such as a laser beam or an electronbeam melts by heat given by the light beam 240 and forms a molten pool250.

The camera 203 is an image capturing device that is arranged on the axisof the nozzle 201 and captures an image (video) of the molten pool 250.Based on the image of the molten pool 250 captured by the camera 203,for example, a molten pool diameter that is the diameter of the moltenpool 250 or the temperature of the molten pool 250 can be detected. Thesensor 204 detects a reflected light level such as the luminance orintensity of the reflected light of the light beam 240 such as a laserbeam from the molten pool 250. The sensor 204 also detects a plasmalight wavelength that is the wavelength of plasma light radiated fromthe molten pool 250.

The molten pool diameter detected by the camera 203 and the reflectedlight level and the plasma light wavelength detected by the sensor 204are monitoring data, all of which are data detected during laminatingand shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object. Themonitoring data are also data used to monitor the shaping state of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object.

The shaping quality estimator 205 estimates the shaping quality of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object. Shaping qualityestimation is done based on the monitoring data. The monitoring dataincludes at least one of the molten pool diameter, the reflected lightlevel, and the plasma light wavelength. However, the data included inthe monitoring data are not limited to these, and any data detectableduring shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object canbe included.

The shaping quality estimated by the shaping quality estimator 205includes at least one of a material texture, a layer width, and a layerheight. However, the qualities are not limited to these. The shapingquality estimator 205 estimates the shaping quality of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object indirectly based on themonitoring data.

There is also a method of cutting a generated three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object and inspecting the cut section to decideshaping quality. In the method of cutting a completed three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object and inspecting shaping quality, however,laminating and shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject needs to be executed again after the inspection of the shapingquality. In such a method, the material 230 is wasted. Additionally,since the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object needs to beshaped once again, time is needed to complete the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object.

On the other hand, since the shaping quality of the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object can be estimated by the shaping qualityestimator 205, though indirectly, based on the monitoring data duringthe laminating and shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject, the material 230 is not wasted. In addition, thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object of desired quality can beshaped in a short time.

The shaping parameter estimator 206 estimates a shaping parameternecessary for shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject. The shaping parameter estimation is done based on the monitoringdata. The shaping parameter estimated by the shaping parameter estimator206 includes at least one of a material supply amount, a shield gassupply amount, a light beam output, and a material purity. The materialsupply amount is the supply amount of the material 230 of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object. The shield gas supplyamount is the supply amount of a shield gas. The shield gas is a gassupplied to prevent oxidation of the material 230 or the like. The lightbeam output is the output (power) of the light beam 240 such as a laserbeam. The material purity concerns the properties of the material 230,for example, the type of the material 230 such as a metal or a resin.

The shaping parameter controller 207 controls the shaping parametersnecessary for the shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject based on the shaping quality of the three-dimensional laminatedand shaped object estimated by the shaping quality estimator 205. Theshaping parameter controller 207 also controls the shaping parametersnecessary for the shaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject based on the acquired monitoring data.

FIG. 3 is a relationship diagram showing an example of the relationshipbetween shaping quality and shaping parameters and a change inmonitoring data acquired by the three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus according to this embodiment. For example, the shaping qualityestimator 205 refers to a relationship diagram 300 and estimates achange in shaping quality 302 and the like based on a change inmonitoring data 301 and the like. Similarly, the shaping parameterestimator 206 refers to the relationship diagram 300 and estimates achange in a shaping parameter 303 and the like based on a change in themonitoring data 301 and the like.

Note that in the relationship diagram 300, all the monitoring data 301,the shaping quality 302, and the shaping parameter 303 can be attainedas numerical data, and the three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus 200 automatically determines a change in the shaping quality302, a change in the shaping parameter 303, and the like based on thesenumerical data. Note that in the relationship diagram 300, the degree ofa change is expressed by wording representing a state such as “decrease”or “unchanged”. However, the degree of a change can also be expressed asa numerical value.

(1) If, out of the monitoring data 301, the “reflected light level”increases, and the “molten pool diameter” and the “plasma lightwavelength” do not change, the “layer width” out of the shaping quality302 do not change, as is apparent from the relationship diagram 300.Additionally, the “material quality” degrades (roughens), and the “layerheight” decreases, as can be seen.

As for the shaping parameter 303, the “material supply amount”decreases, as is apparent. That is, when the “material supply amount”decreases, the amount of the material such as a metal powder containedin the material supply gas decreases, and accordingly, the substancethat shields the reflected light from the molten pool 250 decreases. Forthis reason, the “reflected light level” increases. Hence, in this case,the three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 200 controls toincrease the material supply amount out of the shaping parameters 303.

On the other hand, the “molten pool diameter” and the “plasma lightwavelength” do not change. The “molten pool diameter” does not changebecause it is the spot diameter of the light beam 240 such as a laserbeam and does not depend on the material supply amount. The “plasmalight wavelength” does not change because even if the amount of thesupplied material 230 increases/decreases, the wavelength of the plasmalight radiated from the molten pool 250 does not change unless theproperties of the material 230 change.

(2) If, out of the monitoring data 301, the “reflected light level”decreases, and the “molten pool diameter” and the “plasma lightwavelength” do not change, the “material texture” out of the shapingquality 302 degrades (oxidizes), as is apparent. The “layer width” andthe “layer height” do not change, as can be seen.

As for the shaping parameter 303, the supply amount of the “shield gas”decreases, as is apparent. That is, when the supply amount of the“shield gas” decreases, the supply amount of the gas used to preventoxidation of the material 230 decreases. For this reason, the material230 oxidizes, and the surface of the material 230 darkens to absorb thelight beam 240 such as a laser beam. Hence, the “reflected light level”that is the luminance or intensity of the reflected light decreases. The“molten pool diameter” and the “plasma light wavelength” do not changedue to the above-described reasons. In this case, the three-dimensionallaminating and shaping apparatus 200 controls to increase the supplyamount of the shield gas out of the shaping parameters 303.

(3) If, out of the monitoring data 301, the “molten pool diameter” andthe “reflected light level” decrease, and the “plasma light wavelength”does not change, the “material texture” out of the shaping quality 302degrades (roughens), as is apparent. The “layer width” and the “layerheight” decrease, as can be seen.

As for the shaping parameter 303, the “laser output” decreases, as isapparent. That is, when the “laser output” decreases, the output of thelight beam 240 such as a laser beam decreases, and accordingly, theluminance or intensity of the light beam 240 decreases. For this reason,the “molten pool diameter” and the “reflected light level” inevitablydecrease. Additionally, since the “laser output” decreases, the amountof heat given to the material 230 also decreases. Accordingly, thecomposition of the “material texture” (material composition) degrades,and the “layer width” and the “layer height” decrease as well. In thiscase, the three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 200controls to increase the laser output out of the shaping parameters 303.

(4) If, out of the monitoring data 301, the “plasma light wavelength”changes, and the “molten pool diameter” and the “reflected light level”do not change, the “material texture” out of the shaping quality 302degrades (compound), as is apparent. The “layer width” and the “layerheight” do not change, as can be seen.

As for the shaping parameter 303, the “material purity (materialproperty)” lowers, as is apparent. That is, when the “material purity(material property)” lowers, an impurity mixes with the material 230, orthe material 230 of different properties mixes. For this reason, acompound is formed in the completed three-dimensional laminated andshaped object because of the mixture of the plurality of materials 230.Hence, the completed three-dimensional laminated and shaped object isnot formed from a single material 230, and the quality as a shapedobject lowers. The “layer width” and the “layer height” do not change,as can be seen. In this case, the three-dimensional laminating andshaping apparatus 200 controls to increase the material purity out ofthe shaping parameters 303.

According to this embodiment, a change in the quality or a change in ashaping parameter of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object canbe estimated in real time during shaping of the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object. It is therefore possible to shape ahigh-precision three-dimensional laminated and shaped object. Inaddition, since monitoring data is monitored during shaping, a change inthe shaping quality or a change in the shaping parameter can be detectedin real time indirectly via a change in the monitoring data or the like.Furthermore, the user can know a change in the shaping quality (result)and a change in the shaping parameter (cause) by monitoring a change inthe monitoring data or the like.

Other Embodiments

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

The present invention is applicable to a system including a plurality ofdevices or a single apparatus. The present invention is also applicableeven when an information processing program for implementing thefunctions of the embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatusdirectly or from a remote site. Hence, the present invention alsoincorporates the program installed in a computer to implement thefunctions of the present invention by the computer, a medium storing theprogram, and a WWW (World Wide Web) server that causes a user todownload the program. Especially, the present invention incorporates atleast a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program thatcauses a computer to execute processing steps included in theabove-described embodiments.

1.-7. (canceled)
 8. A control method of a three-dimensional laminatingand shaping apparatus, comprising: ejecting a material of athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object onto a shaping table onwhich the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object is shaped;irradiating the ejected material with a light beam; acquiring monitoringdata used to monitor a shaping state of the three-dimensional laminatedand shaped object during shaping of the three-dimensional laminated andshaped object; and estimating shaping quality of the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object based on the monitoring data.
 9. (canceled)10. The control method according to claim 8, further comprisingestimating a shaping parameter necessary for the shaping of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object based on the monitoringdata.
 11. The control method according to claim 8, further comprisingcontrolling the shaping parameter necessary for the shaping of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object based on the shapingquality of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object estimatedin said estimating step.
 12. The control method according to claim 11,further comprising controlling the shaping parameter necessary for theshaping of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object based onthe monitoring data acquired in said acquiring step.
 13. The controlmethod according to claim 8, wherein the monitoring data includes amolten pool diameter, a reflected light level, and a plasma lightwavelength.
 14. The control method according to claim 10, wherein theshaping parameter includes at least one of a material supply amount, ashield gas supply amount, a light beam output, and a material purity.15. The control method according to claim 8, wherein the shaping qualityincludes at least one of a layer height of the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object, a layer width of the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object, and a material composition of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object.